Apparatus for hot rolling



Aug. 3, 1965 w. 1 ROBERTS 3,197,988

APPARATUS FOR HOT ROLLING Filed Feb. 18, 1963 Ex/'t Hight F11- 2.T E

Exit Entry Fluid Supp/y Left Entry W/LL/AM L. ROBERTS Attorney UnitedStates Patent 3,197,988 APPARATUS FR HOT ROLLING William L. Roberts,Murrysville, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, acorporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 259,249 6Claims. (Cl. 72-12) ,strippers of the mill and may not satisfactorilyenter a succeeding roll stand for further reduction. This. often resultsin a cobble. In order to eliminate these diiiiculties the presentpractice is to straighten curved work- ,pieces prior to their enteringsubsequent processing equipment. This adds to the expense of manufactureand if the workpiece is a structural lbeam of high strength alloy thestraightening operation is a diflicult one.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide apparatus for hotrolling a workpiece in such a manner that it will be commerciallystraight as it leaves the mill.

This and other objects will be more apparent after referring to thefollowingspeciiicati-on and attached drawing, in which:

FTGURE lis asomewhat schematic `side elevation, partly in section, ofthe apparatus of my invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a schematic view of the hydraulic system of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings reference numeral 2indicates the housing of a mill stand. This may be the nal stand or anintermediate stand of the mill. Upper roll 4 and lower roll 6 have theirends supported in the usual manner by roll chocks 8, 9, 10 and 11,respectively. A bearing plate 12 is provided above the chock 8 and anadjusting screw 14 passing through the top of the housing 2 bearsagainst the bearing plate 12. A similar construction is provided abovethe chock 9. According to my invention I provide hydraulic cylinders 16and 17 for receiving the entry and eXit sides of chock S and hydrauliccylinders 18 and 19 for receiving the entry and exit sides of chock 9.Similarly hydraulic cylinders 20, 21 and 22, 23 are provided for checks1t) and 11, respectively. Supports 24 and 26 are arranged on the eXitside of the mill, one above and one below the roll pass, and extend fromside to side of the mill housing 2 to which they are attached. A loadcell 28 and stripper 30 are supported by the upper support 24 and asimilar load cell 32 and stripper 34 are Supported by the lower support26. Any suitable load cell, such as a Pressductor, which generates anelectric signal may be used. Fluid for the cylinders 16 to 23 isdelivered through conduits 36 to 41, respectively. Conduits 36, 38, 41and 43 are connected to a conduit 44 and conduits 37, 39, 40 and 42 to aconduit 46. A hydraulic relay or valve S2 controls the iiow of uid toand from the cylinders. Valve 52 consists of a casing 54 having ports56, 5S, 6), 62 and 64. Ports 56 and 5S are connected to return the fluidto its supply (not shown) and port60 is connected Vto the high pressuresupply system. A rod 66 having spools 68 and 7i) thereon is slidablymounted in the casing 54 and extends from one end thereof. A spring 72is connected to the end of rod 66 and coils '74 and 76 surround the rod66 on each side of a magnetic core 78 attached to the rod 66. The spring72 will hold the rod 66 in the position shown when neither coil 74 or 76is energized. The coil 74 is connected to the output of an ice amplifier89 connected to the output of lower load cell .32. The coil 76 isconnected to an amplifier S2 which is connected to the output of upperload cell 2S. Rectiers '84 and 86 are provided in the circuits to coils74 and 76, respectively.

In operation, if the workpiece W is straight as it leaves the millstand, the parts will be in the position shown. However, if theworkpiece curves upwardly the upper load cell 28 becomes loaded andproduces an electric signal proportional to the load. This signal isamplified and transmitted to coil 76 so as to energize the same.Energization of coil 76 moves the core 78 and spools 68 and '70to theright a distance proportional to the electric signalproduced by the loadcell. This causes the spool 70'to.uncover a portion of port 64, thuspermitting uid under. pressure to flow through ports 6i) and 64, andconduits 44, 36 and 38, 41 and 43 to the cylinders 16, 18, 21and 23,thus moving the lower roll 6 horizontally to- -ward the entry end of themill and the upper roll 4 toward the exit end of thefmill. This willcause a straightening of the workpiece. As the work rolls are displacedhydraulic iiuid is forced out of the cylinders 17, 19, 20

.and22through ports 62 and 56 and returned to the supply system.

VIf the workpiece curves downwardly, the lower load `cell32 becomesloaded so that coil 74 will be energized Vto move the core 78 and spools68 and 70 to the left a distance: proportional to the electric signal.This causes the spool 68 to uncover a portion of port 62 and thus.allowpressure uid to pass to cylinders 17, 19, 2t) and and described,it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for hot rolling a workpiece which comprises upper and lowerrolls between which the workpiece passes and is reduced, means formoving the top roll horizontally toward and away from the exit side ofthe rolls, means for moving the bottom roll horizontally toward and awayfrom the exit side of the rolls, and means responsive to the workpieceleaving the rolls for actuating said roll moving means when theworkpiece leaving the rolls curves away from the horizontal.

2. Apparatus for hot rolling a workpiece which comprises upper and lowerrolls between which the workpiece passes and is reduced, means formoving the top roll horizontally toward and away from the exit side ofthe rolls, means for moving the bottom roll horizontally toward and awayfrom the exit side of the rolls, means for determining upward curvatureof the workpiece leaving the rolls, means responsive to said last namedmeans for actuating said roll moving means to move the upper roll towardthe exit side of the rolls and the lower roll toward the entry side ofthe rolls, means for determining downward curvature of the workpieceleaving the rolls, and means responsive to said last named means foractuating said roll moving means to move the upper roll toward the entryside of the rolls and the lower roll toward the exit side of the rolls.

3. Apparatus for hot rolling a workpiece which comprises upper and lowerrolls between which the workpiece passes and is reduced, chocks on eachend of each roll for rotatably supporting the same, a pair of hydrauliccylinders associated wtih each chock one on the entry side and one onthe exit side thereof for moving the associated chock horizontally,means for controlling ow of fluid to said cylinders, and meansresponsive to the workpiece leaving the rolls for actuating said fluidflow control means when the workpiece leaving the rolls curves away fromthe horizontal.

4, Apparatus for hot rolling a workpiece which comprises upper and lowerrolls between which the workpiece passes and is reduced, chocks on eachend of each Aroll for rotatably supporting the same, a pair of hydrauliccylinders associated with each chock one on the entry side and one onthe exit side thereof for moving the associated chock horizontally,means for controlling flow of fluid to said cylinders, means for`determining upward curvature of the workpiece leaving the rolls, meansresponsive to said last named means for actuating said fluid flowcontrol means to move the upper roll toward the exit side of the rollsand the lower roll toward the entry side of the rolls, means fordetermining downward curvature of the workpiece leaving the rolls, andmeans responsive to said last named means for actuating'said fluid flowcontrol means to move the upper roll toward the entry side of the rollsand the lower roll toward the exit side of the rolls.

5. Apparatus for hot rolling a workpiece which comprises upper and lowerrolls between which the workpiece passes and is reduced, chocks on eachend of each roll for rotatably supporting the same, a pair of hydrauliccylinders associated with each chock one on the entry side and one onthe exit side thereof for moving the associated chock horizontally,means for controlling flow `of fluid to said cylinders, means fordetermining upward` curvature of the workpiece leaving the rolls, acircuit actuated by said last named means for actuating said flowcontrol means to deliver uid under pressure to the hydraulic cylinderson the entry side of the upper chocks and the exit side of the lowerchocks, means for determining downward curvature of the workpieceleaving the rolls, and a circuit actuated by said last named means foractuating said flow control means to deliver uid under pressure to thehydraulic cylinders on the exit side of the upper chocks and the entryside of the lower chocks.

6. Apparatus for hot rolling a workpiece which cornprises upper andlower rolls between which the workpiece passes and is reduced, chocks oneach end of each roll for rotatably supporting the same, a pair ofhydraulic cylinders associated with each chock one on the entry side andone on the exit side thereof for moving the associated chockhorizontally, means for controlling flow of uid to said cylinders, anyupper stripper mounted at the exit side of said rolls, a lower strippermounted at the exit side of said rolls, a load cell connected to beactuated by said upper stripper, a load cell connected to be actuated bysaid lower stripper, a circuit connected to the output of said upperload cell for actuating said ow control means to deliver fluid underpressure to the hydraulic cylinders on the entry side of the upperchocks and the exit side of the lower chocks, and a circuit connected tothe output of said lower load cell for actuating said ilow control meansto deliver iiuid under pressure to the hydraulic cylinders on the exitside of the upper chocks and the entry side of the lower chocks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,004,771 lO/llGibbons 80-56-9 2,965,920 12/60 Whittum 80-56 CHARLES W. LANHAM, PrimaryEaflminer.

1. APPARATUS FOR HOT ROLLING A WORKPIECE WHICH COMPRISES UPPER AND LOWERROLLS BETWEEN WHICH THE WORKPIECE PASSES AN IS REDUCED, MEANS FOR MOVINGTHE TOP ROLL HORIZONTALLY TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE EXIT SIDE OF THEROLLS, MEANS FOR MOVING THE BOTTOM ROLL HORIZONTALLY TO WARD AND AWAYFROM THE EXIT SIDE OF THE ROLLS, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE WORKPIECELEAVING THE ROLLS FOR ACTUATING SAID ROLL MOVING MEANS WHEN THEWORKPIECE LEAVING THE ROLLS CURVES AWAY FROM THE HORIZONTAL.